Mesh node mobility across static and mobile mesh networks

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for mobility of mobile nodes in mesh networks are taught wherein the mobile mesh nodes choose an attachment point to another mesh node based on predetermined criteria, such as the characteristics of the attachment point&#39;s path to a reference destination, and other factors local to the attachment point, such as load and available capacity. The mobile nodes forward packets on each other&#39;s behalf. Static and mobile nodes and the links between them are treated differently from each other in view of their respectively different properties. A special metric is used for paths that include mobile links in addition to the static mesh links and wired mesh links. Mobility is handled completely transparently to any client devices attached to the mesh nodes, where this attachment could be wireless or wired.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority benefit claims for this application are made in theaccompanying Application Data Sheet, Request, or Transmittal (asappropriate, if any). To the extent permitted by the type of the instantapplication, this application incorporates by reference for all purposesthe following applications, all owned by the owner of the instantapplication:

-   U.S. PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US2007/081325, filed Oct. 13,    2007, first named inventor Jorgeta Jetcheva, and entitled MESH NODE    MOBILITY ACROSS STATIC AND MOBILE MESH NETWORKS, and-   U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/829,525, filed Oct. 13,    2006, first named inventor Jorgeta Gueorguieva Jetcheva, and    entitled MESH NODE MOBILITY ACROSS STATIC AND MOBILE MESH NETWORKS.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Advancements in mesh networks are needed to provide improvements inperformance, efficiency, and utility of use.

2. Related Art

Unless expressly identified as being publicly or well known, mentionherein of techniques and concepts, including for context, definitions,or comparison purposes, should not be construed as an indication thatsuch techniques and concepts are previously publicly known or otherwisepart of the prior art. All references cited herein (if any), includingpatents, patent applications, and publications, are hereby incorporatedby reference in their entireties, whether specifically incorporated ornot, for all purposes.

Mobile applications are becoming increasingly more popular in thecontext of mesh networks, e.g., for public safety applications, or forusers being able to access the Internet while commuting via train.

Some applications are such that a mobile node is always able to reach astatic (i.e., stationary, not mobile) mesh node directly (mobilitywithin a static infrastructure), others are such that the mobile nodeneeds to forward its traffic along a path composed of one or more othermobile nodes before it is able to reach the static infrastructure, stillothers are such that there is no static infrastructure and the mobilesonly communicate with each other by forwarding packets on each other'sbehalf. Typically the static mesh infrastructure is attached to a wirednetwork through a wired mesh portal. When there is no connection to thewired network, the mesh is referred to as a standalone mesh. In atraditional ad hoc network, typically the whole network is treated as apossibly mobile network.

As a mobile node moves, it may be within reach of multiple meshnetworks, each of which might be configured with a distinct set ofparameters, including different (sets of) channels, and may offer adistinct set of services. In order to maintain connectivity, the mobileneeds to decide which mesh to use to relay its traffic to itsdestination(s). More broadly, as the mobile node moves around it needsto decide what node or nodes to use as immediate relay(s) towards itsdestination(s).

In a traditional wireless infrastructure network, e.g., Wi-Fi (802.11)Access infrastructure, or in the traditional cellular infrastructure, amobile client can reach the infrastructure directly (along 1 wirelesshop) and its decision about which of multiple nodes in theinfrastructure to attach to is based on the quality of the link to thepoint of attachment in the infrastructure. The attachment point is thendirectly connected to the wired infrastructure.

In a traditional mesh, it is usually assumed that any node maycommunicate with any other node and so there isn't any notion ofattachment or reference destination. Wi-Fi (802.11) does have the notionof attachment, however it refers to attachment only of clients to APs,where the APs tend to be directly connected to a wired networks, and isonly based on the best signal strength of frames from the APs that isrecorded at the client node. Cellular and WiMax networks have a similararchitecture, where mobile clients attach to base stations which arestatic and the base stations are attached to the wired infrastructure.

In 802.11-style networks, clients do not send packets to each otherdirectly at all and don't forward packets to each other (APs are notmobile). There is an ad hoc mode in 802.11 that enables clients to talkto each other directly but in that mode they are not able to talk toAPs, and they still cannot forward traffic on each other's behalf.

SYNOPSIS

The invention may be implemented in numerous ways, including as aprocess, an article of manufacture, an apparatus, a system, acomposition of matter, and a computer readable medium such as a computerreadable storage medium or a computer network wherein programinstructions are sent over optical or electronic communication links. Inthis specification, these implementations, or any other form that theinvention may take, may be referred to as techniques. In general, theorder of the operations of disclosed processes may be altered within thescope of the invention. The Detailed Description provides an expositionof one or more embodiments of the invention that enable improvements inperformance, efficiency, and utility of use in the field identifiedabove. The Detailed Description includes an Introduction to facilitatethe more rapid understanding of the remainder of the DetailedDescription. The Introduction may introduce illustrative combinationsthat tersely summarize illustrative systems and methods in accordancewith the concepts taught herein. As is discussed in more detail in theConclusions, the invention encompasses all possible modifications andvariations within the scope of the issued claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates embodiments of systems and methods for mesh nodemobility in a mesh network having static and mobile nodes.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart for a mesh node mobility embodiment in amesh network having static and mobile nodes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention isprovided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate theprinciples of the invention. The invention is described in connectionwith the embodiments. It is well established that it is neithernecessary, practical, or possible to exhaustively describe everyembodiment of the invention. Thus the embodiments herein are understoodto be merely illustrative, the invention is expressly not limited to orby any or all of the embodiments herein, and the invention encompassesnumerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. To avoid monotonyin the exposition, a variety of word labels (including but not limitedto: first, last, certain, particular, select, and notable) may beapplied to separate sets of embodiments; as used herein such labels areexpressly not meant to convey quality, or any form of preference orprejudice, but merely to conveniently distinguish among the separatesets. Wherever multiple embodiments serve to illustrate variations inprocess, method, and/or program instruction features, otherimplementations are contemplated that in accordance with a predeterminedor a dynamically determined criterion perform static and/or dynamicselection of one of a plurality of modes of operation correspondingrespectively to a plurality of the multiple embodiments. Numerousspecific details are set forth in the following description in order toprovide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details areprovided for the purpose of example and the invention may be practicedaccording to the claims without some or all of these specific details.For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in thetechnical fields related to the invention has not been described indetail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

Introduction

This introduction is included only to facilitate the more rapidunderstanding of the Detailed Description; the invention is not limitedto the concepts presented in the introduction (including explicitexamples, if any), as the paragraphs of any introduction are necessarilyan abridged view of the entire subject and are not meant to be anexhaustive or restrictive description. For example, the introductionthat follows provides overview information limited by space andorganization to only certain embodiments. There are many otherembodiments, including those to which claims will ultimately be drawn,discussed throughout the balance of the specification.

Methods and systems for mobility of mobile nodes in mesh networks aretaught wherein the mobile mesh nodes choose an attachment point toanother mesh node based on the characteristics of the attachment point'spath to a reference destination (e.g., the wired portal into the mesh),among other factors local to the attachment point such as load andavailable capacity. The mobile nodes forward packets on each other'sbehalf. Static and mobile nodes and the links between them are treateddifferently from each other in view of their respectively differentproperties, e.g., static links are much less likely to break, and staticnodes usually have a (better) path to the reference destination andtherefore connectivity to important other destinations. A special/uniquemetric is used for paths that include mobile links in addition to thestatic mesh links (between static mesh nodes) and wired mesh links.Mobility (including mobility across layer 3 domains) is handledcompletely transparently to any client devices attached to the meshnodes, where this attachment could be wireless or wired. That is, therelay of client traffic in the mesh is managed such that client devicesneed not be aware of, and need not take into account, the mobile orstatic status of the nodes of the mesh. Further characteristics of themethods and systems taught herein include:

-   -   1. Mobile nodes can forward traffic on each other's behalf;    -   2. Mobiles are allowed to roam across meshes;    -   3. Mesh nodes may have one or more radios;    -   4. Mobile mesh nodes may have one or more radios;    -   5. Each mesh may have a different set of capabilities and may        provide a different set of services; and    -   6. The mesh is not a standalone mesh but has one or more mesh        portals onto another network (e.g., a wired network, or a        cellular network, etc.).

FIG. 1 illustrates embodiments of these systems and methods for meshnode mobility in a mesh network 1000 having static and mobile nodes. Thefollowing table identifies each Reference Symbol of FIG. 1 by itscorresponding Element Name.

Reference Symbol to Element Name Correspondence Table Ref. SymbolElement Name 100-1 Static node S1 100-2 Static node S2 100-3 Static node100-4 Static node 100-5 Static node 100-6 Static node 100-7 Static node100-8 Static node 100-9 Static node 200-1 Wireless link 200-2 Wirelesslink 200-3 Wireless link 200-4 Wireless link 200-5 Wireless link 200-6Wireless link 200-7 Wireless link 200-8 Wireless link 200-9 Wirelesslink 200-10 Wireless link 200-11 Wireless link 200-12 Wireless link200-13 Wireless link 200-14 Wireless link 200-15 Wireless link 200-16Wireless link 200-17 Wireless link 200-18 Wireless link 300-1 Wired link300-2 Wired link 400-1 Multiple links and networks 400-2 Multiple linksand networks 500-1 Mobile node M1 500-2 Mobile node M2 500-3 Mobile nodeM3 500-4 Mobile node M4 500-5 Mobile node M5 500-6 Mobile node M6 600-1Client node (a first laptop) 600-2 Client node (a second laptop) 650Client node (an Access Point, or AP) 700-1 Mesh Portal MP1 700-2 MeshPortal MP2 800 Internet 900 Virtual Portal VP 910-1 Conceptual linkbetween VP and MP1 910-2 Conceptual link between VP and MP2 910-3Conceptual link between VP and Internet 1000 Mesh Network

In FIG. 1, squares represent static (Sx) nodes 100-x. Dashed linesrepresent wireless links 200-x. Solid links represent wired links 300-x.Dash-dotted lines are intended to represent multiple underlying linksand networks 400-x. Mobile (Mx) nodes 500-x are shown to have a linkonly towards their primary attachment point. Some links between staticnodes may be wired. Any node, static or mobile may have attachedclients, wirelessly or through a wire. The AP 650 is viewed as a type ofclient. Mobile and static nodes may be interspersed along a mobilenode's path. Thus it is not necessary that the overall path is mobilerelays first and the only static relays after that.

The methods and systems illustrated in FIG. 1 and further describedherein choose next-hop relays in the context of the followingconsiderations:

-   -   1. A mobile node may be within range of multiple static and        mobile nodes who can provide it with connectivity to its        destination(s) and it needs to choose which one(s) to use for        relaying its traffic;    -   2. A node does not usually know in advance what destinations it        or its attached clients are going to communicate with, and so it        cannot choose a next-hop relay(s) based on this kind of        information;    -   3. If a node chooses next-hop relays based on the current        destinations it is communicating with (or has observed its        attached clients to be communicating with), and different relays        provide different quality connectivity (e.g., bandwidth,        lossyness) to each destination, trade-off decisions need to be        made in favor of some clients vs. others, which makes the choice        of relays complex;    -   4. Since each possible next hop relay can be on a different        channel, choosing a (set of) next-hop relay(s) may mean choosing        against all other next hop relays because they would be left on        a different channel; and    -   5. Evaluating the connectivity along a path to each destination        of a mobile requires discovering paths to each destination of        the mobile, which if done in advance would generate a        prohibitive amount of overhead because routes to all        destinations must be known by all nodes (because any mobile may        request connectivity from a node at any time and to any        destination), or if the discovery is done at the time a mobile        needs to select a relay due to impending or current        disconnection, then the discovery would cause a delay and        possibly packet losses.

The mobility of a mesh node in the embodiments taught herein differ fromthe traditional model described in the background in the following ways:

-   -   a) A mobile node may achieve connectivity by connecting through        other mobile nodes, not just through nodes that are part of the        static mesh infrastructure.    -   b) The static mesh infrastructure may itself be composed of        multiple wireless hops.    -   c) In the mobility model taught herein, the mobile node chooses        an attachment point which is different from what regular mesh        nodes normally do. This is in contrast to a traditional mesh,        where the assumption is usually that any node may communicate        with any node. Thus in the traditional mesh there isn't any        notion of attachment or reference destination.    -   d) Wi-Fi (802.11) does have the notion of attachment, however it        refers to attachment only of clients to APs, where the APs tend        to be directly connected to a wired networks, and is only based        on the best signal strength of frames from the APs that is        recorded at the client node. Cellular and WiMax networks have a        similar architecture, where mobile clients attach to base        stations which are static and the base stations are attached to        the wired infrastructure. In the methods and systems taught        herein, a mobile mesh node is attached to another mesh node, and        the mobile node chooses the point of attachment point based on        the characteristics of its path to a reference destination        (e.g., the wired portal into the mesh), among other factors        local to the attachment point such as load and available        capacity. (The connectivity of the mobile node is not only        determined based on the properties of the link between the        mobile node and its next hop towards its destination(s) but on        the quality of the entire path between the mobile and its        destination(s)).    -   e) In the methods and systems taught herein, mobile nodes        forward packets on each other's behalf. This is not the case in        802.11-style networks, where clients do not send packets to each        other directly at all and don't forward packets to each other.        There is an ad hoc mode in 802.11 that enables clients to talk        to each other directly but in that mode they are not able to        talk to APs, and they still cannot forward traffic on each        other's behalf.    -   f) In a traditional ad hoc network, typically the whole network        is treated as a possibly mobile network. In the methods and        systems taught herein, the static and mobile nodes and the links        between them are treated differently from each other in view of        their different properties, e.g., static links are much less        likely to break, and static nodes usually have a (better) path        to the reference destination and therefore connectivity to        important other destinations.    -   g) In the methods and systems taught herein, a special/unique        metric is used for paths that include mobile links in addition        to the static mesh links (between static mesh nodes) and wired        mesh links.    -   h) As taught herein, mobility (including mobility across layer 3        domains) is handled completely transparently to any client        devices attached to our mesh nodes, where this attachment could        be wireless or wired. In accordance with the teachings herein,        there can be multiple clients attached to a mobile node,        including 802.11-style APs, which themselves may have multiple        attached clients (static or mobile).

PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

As described in detail below, the embodiments introduced above use thefollowing mechanisms for enabling a mobile node to choose next hoprelay(s):

-   -   a) Choose a reference destination for connectivity;    -   b) Evaluate the path to the reference destination; and    -   c) Choose the next-hop relay(s) (attachment point(s)).

Choosing a Reference Destination for Connectivity:

In the vast majority of cases the mobile's traffic needs to ultimatelyreach the wired network infrastructure, both because it needs tocommunicate with outside nodes, but also because it may be visiting alayer 3 domain that is not its home layer 3 domain (i.e., the one whereit obtained its IP address) and therefore its traffic would have to betunneled to its home domain through the wired portal (e.g., as in MobileIP). As a result, the closest portal to the wired network (such as tothe Internet 800, as illustrated in FIG. 1) is a great reference pointfor connectivity as it is the likely entry/exit for all or most of amobile's packets. When there are multiple portals from the mesh networkto the wired network, it can be useful to conceptualize a single virtualportal as the reference destination. FIG. 1 shows the virtual portal 900conceptually coupled to MP1 700-1 and MP2 700-2 respectively via links910-1 and 910-2 and conceptually coupled to the wired network via link910-3.

Benefits and advantages of choosing a reference destination inaccordance with the techniques taught herein, include:

-   -   a) Choosing a single reference destination enables more        efficient distribution of routing state within the network, as        nodes only need to have a route to the reference destination in        advance of a mobile attempting to attach/connect through them;    -   b) Having a single reference destination also simplifies the        choices a mobile node has to make as it moves in terms of where        to attach at any given time; and    -   c) Optimizing connectivity based on the quality of the path to        the reference destination would lead to optimal performance as        most of a mobile's traffic is likely to go through the reference        destination.

Evaluation of the Path to the Reference Destination:

Sophisticated route metrics for static mesh networks often do notperform well in mobile networks because they focus on computing theachievable capacity along a path and do not take into account that somenodes along a path may be mobile. In fact, the simplest and most commonroute metric, shortest hop count, tends to perform very well in a mobilescenario because the less links there are in a path, the less likely itis to break. Given that the path from a mobile to the referencedestination may include both links whose endpoints are both mobilenodes, and links whose endpoints are both static nodes, and links withone mobile and one static node, we can use the following metric toevaluate the quality of the path to the reference destination:

-   -   a) Mobile hop count, i.e., number of mobile links, where both        endpoints of the link are mobile;    -   b) Break ties (if any after the foregoing) by mobile hop count        where one endpoint of the link is mobile;    -   c) Break ties (if any after the foregoing) by achievable        bandwidth along the entire path;    -   d) Break ties (if any after the foregoing) by wireless hop        count; and    -   e) Break ties (if any after the foregoing) by total hop count        (wired and wireless).

Thus, if the metrics of two paths are equal at one stage the “tie” isbroken by progressing to the next stage. First, mobile links with twomobile endpoints are counted for each path. So for example, if one pathhas 10 mobile links (of two mobile endpoints), and another has 5, thelatter would be chosen as the preferred path. If both paths have thesame number of mobile links of two mobile endpoints, mobile links withonly one mobile endpoint are then counted for each path. If both pathshave 5 mobile links (of one mobile endpoint), then we break the tie bycomparing the next component of the metric, c) capacity. (It isenvisioned that certain embodiments will establish predeterminedcriteria for how nearly proximate separate capacity determinations needto be for them to be logically considered the same capacity.) If theystill look the same then we look at the next component, d), and etc.Once we run out of components to compute, and the paths still have thesame metric, we can pick one according to another predetermined criteria(at random for example).

The forgoing path evaluation process is illustrated by embodiment 200 ofthe flow chart of FIG. 2. Beginning at start 210 and continuing throughend 217, process 200 includes actions 211 (performing . . . ), 212(selecting . . . ), 213 (identifying . . . ), 214 (determining . . . ),and 215 (choosing . . . ). Determining action 214 comprises sequentialevaluations a-e above.

Choosing Next-Hop Relay(s) (Attachment Point(s)):

The mobile node can choose which neighboring nodes to use as itsnext-hop relay by finding out which one has the best path metric towardsthe reference destination using the metric above (finding out neighborinformation can be done through probing and scanning—periodic oron-demand, e.g., when disconnection occurs or is expected to occur).

Benefits and advantages of choosing the next-hop relay(s) in accordancewith the techniques taught herein, include:

-   -   a) A mobile may choose to have one next hop relay towards the        reference destination, or may choose to have a primary relay and        a secondary (backup) relay;    -   b) Choosing more relays than a primary and a backup relay, is        often undesirable especially when a mobile node moves fairly        fast as it may lead to the creation of more state (in the relays        and in the mesh in general) that would then have to be torn down        as soon as the mobile node moves; and    -   c) Choosing fewer next hop relays reduces the overhead of        maintaining the links to the relays (such maintenance often        employs keepalives to keep track of the existence and quality of        mobile links in order to quickly detect an impending        disconnection).

Additional parameters considered in the choice of relay may include oneor more of:

-   -   a) Load of the relay node (less loaded relay tends to be        preferable);    -   b) Residual capacity of the relay (how much capacity does the        relay have left);    -   c) Services offered by the relay (e.g., some relays may offer        QoS, others may not);    -   d) Cost of using the relay (visiting some meshes may be more        expensive than visiting others); and    -   e) Overhead of switching to the relay, e.g.:        -   1) If the relay is in a different layer 3 domain from the            current relay for the mobile, the mobile would have to            perform a layer 3 handoff; and        -   2) If the relay is in a different security domain from the            current relay for the mobile, the mobile may have to perform            an authentication and authorization handshake with the new            domain.

CONCLUSION

There are many ways of implementing the invention. It is generallyappreciated that it is rarely practical or possible to exhaustivelydescribe every embodiment of an invention. Thus the foregoingembodiments are understood to be merely illustrative, the invention isexpressly not limited to or by any or all of the embodiments herein, andthe invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications andequivalents.

Many variations in construction, arrangement and use are contemplatedconsistent with the teachings and within the scope of the claims of theissued patent. For example, the degree of parallelism or instantiation(i.e., the dimension, number, or width) of interconnect andfunction-units, clock speeds, and the type of technology used maygenerally be varied in each component block. The names given tointerconnect and logic are merely illustrative, and should not beconstrued as limiting the concepts taught. The order and arrangement offlowchart and flow diagram process, action, and function elements maygenerally be varied. Also, unless specifically stated to the contrary,the value ranges specified, the maximum and minimum values used, orother particular specifications, are merely those of the illustrativeembodiments, may be expected to track improvements and changes inimplementation technology, and should not be construed as limitations.

Functionally equivalent techniques known to those of ordinary skill inthe art may be employed instead of those illustrated to implementvarious components, sub-systems, functions, operations, routines, andsub-routines. It is also understood that many design functional aspectsmay be carried out in either hardware (i.e., generally dedicatedcircuitry) or software (i.e., via some manner of programmed controlleror processor), as a function of implementation dependent designconstraints and the technology trends of faster processing (facilitatingmigration of functions previously in hardware into software) and higherintegration density (facilitating migration of functions previously insoftware into hardware).

Example variations may include, but are not limited to: differences inpartitioning; different form factors and configurations; use ofdifferent operating systems and other system software; use of differentinterface standards, network protocols, or communication links; andother variations to be expected when implementing the concepts taughtherein in accordance with the unique engineering and businessconstraints of a particular application. Wherever multiple embodimentsserve to illustrate variations in process, method, and/or programinstruction features, other implementations are contemplated that inaccordance with a predetermined or a dynamically determined criterionperform static and/or dynamic selection of one of a plurality of modesof operation corresponding respectively to a plurality of the multipleembodiments.

To provide a thorough understanding the embodiments have beenillustrated with detail and environmental context well beyond thatrequired for a minimal implementation of many of aspects of the conceptstaught. Variations may omit disclosed components or features withoutaltering the basic cooperation among the remaining elements. Thus theinvention may be practiced according to the claims without some or allof these specific details. To the extent that the remaining elements aredistinguishable from the prior art, components and features that may beso omitted are not limiting on the concepts taught herein. For thepurpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technicalfields related to the invention has not been described in detail so thatthe invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

Certain choices have been made in the presentation of this disclosuremerely for reasons of convenience in preparing the text and drawings.Unless there is an indication to the contrary these choices ofconvenience should not be construed per se as conveying additional orimplicit information regarding the structure or quality of theembodiments illustrated. Illustrative examples of such choices ofconvenience include: the particular organization or assignment of thedesignations used for the figure numbering and the particularorganization or assignment of the element identifiers (i.e., thecallouts or numerical designators) used to identify and reference thefeatures and elements of the embodiments. To avoid monotony in theexposition, a variety of word labels (including but not limited to:first, last, certain, particular, select, and notable) may be applied toseparate sets of embodiments; as used herein such labels are expresslynot meant to convey quality, or any form of preference or prejudice, butmerely to conveniently distinguish among the separate sets.

All such variations in design comprise insubstantial changes over theteachings conveyed by the illustrative embodiments. It is alsounderstood that the concepts taught herein have broad applicability toother computing and networking applications, and are not limited to theparticular application or industry of the illustrated embodiments. Theinvention is thus to be construed as including all possiblemodifications and variations encompassed within the scope of the claimsof the issued patent.

1. A method for facilitating the mobility of a mobile node in a meshnetwork connected to an external network, the method comprising:selecting a reference destination coupled to the external network;identifying respective paths to the reference destination via each of aplurality of attachment point candidates; determining a favored path ofthe respective paths by comparatively evaluating the respective pathssuccessively as required in accordance with each of an ordered list ofcriteria comprising fewest dual-mobile-endpoint-links, fewestsingle-mobile-endpoint-links, superior available bandwidth, fewestwireless-type-links, fewest total links-of-any-type, and at least oneother predetermined criteria; and choosing one of the candidates as aprimary attachment point based at least in part on the determining; andwherein the reference destination and the candidates are among aplurality of nodes of the mesh network, and the selecting, theidentifying, the evaluating, and the choosing, are with respect to themobile node.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one otherpredetermined criteria comprises a random pick.
 3. The method of claim1, wherein the candidates comprise at least one mobile node.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein at least one of the respective pathscomprises at least one mobile node.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein atleast some of the plurality of nodes comprise a static meshinfrastructure.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the static meshinfrastructure is comprised at least in part of a plurality of wirelesshops.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the pluralityof nodes are mobile and the mobile nodes forward packets on each other'sbehalf.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein client devices obtainingconnectivity via the mesh network need not take into account whether anyof the plurality of nodes are mobile.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: at least one node of the plurality of nodes behaving like astatic node at a first time and behaving like a mobile node at a secondtime.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: predetermining thetimes at which each behaving state occurs.
 11. The method of claim 9,further comprising: with respect to the at least one node, detecting thebehaving state change and repeating at least the evaluating and thechoosing.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference destinationis a mesh portal through which it is expected that a majority of themobile node's packets will traverse into and out of the mesh network.13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference destination is avirtual portal conceptually coupled to the external network and to atleast two physical mesh network portals actually coupled to the externalnetwork.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a plurality of thenodes act as mesh portals coupling the mesh network with the externalnetwork and the selecting the reference destination comprises selectingthe particular one of the mesh portals closest to a wired networkinfrastructure portion of the external network.
 15. The method of claim1, wherein at least a plurality of the nodes act as mesh portalscoupling the mesh network with the external network and the selectingthe reference destination comprises selecting the particular one of themesh portals through which the majority of the mobile node's packetstraverse into and out of the mesh network.
 16. The method of claim 1,further comprising: choosing one of the candidates as a backupattachment point based at least in part on the evaluating.
 17. A mobilenode adapted to participate in a mesh network connected to an externalnetwork, the mobile node comprising: means for selecting a referencedestination coupled to the external network; means for identifyingrespective paths to the reference destination via each of a plurality ofattachment point candidates; means for determining a favored path of therespective paths by comparatively evaluating the respective pathssuccessively as required in accordance with each of an ordered list ofcriteria comprising fewest dual-mobile-endpoint-links, fewestsingle-mobile-endpoint-links, superior available bandwidth, fewestwireless-type-links, fewest total links-of-any-type, and at least oneother predetermined criteria; means for choosing one of the candidatesas a primary attachment point based at least in part on the determining;and wherein the reference destination and the candidates are among aplurality of nodes of the mesh network, and the selecting, theidentifying, the evaluating, and the choosing, are with respect to themobile node.
 18. The mobile node of claim 17, wherein the at least oneother predetermined criteria comprises a random pick.
 19. The mobilenode of claim 17, wherein the candidates comprise at least one mobilenode.
 20. The mobile node of claim 17, wherein at least one of therespective paths comprises at least one mobile node.
 21. Anon-transitory computer readable medium having a set of instructionsstored therein that, when executed by a processing element of at leastone mobile node in a mesh network connected to an external network,causes the processing element to perform functions comprising: selectinga reference destination coupled to the external network; identifyingrespective paths to the reference destination via each of a plurality ofattachment point candidates; determining a favored path of therespective paths by comparatively evaluating the respective pathssuccessively as required in accordance with each of an ordered list ofcriteria comprising fewest dual-mobile-endpoint-links, fewestsingle-mobile-endpoint-links, superior available bandwidth, fewestwireless-type-links, fewest total links-of-any-type, and at least oneother predetermined criteria; choosing one of the candidates as aprimary attachment point based at least in part on the determining; andwherein the reference destination and the candidates are among aplurality of nodes of the mesh network, and the selecting, theidentifying, the evaluating, and the choosing, are with respect to themobile node.
 22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim21, wherein the at least one other predetermined criteria comprises arandom pick.
 23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim21, wherein the candidates comprise at least one mobile node.
 24. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein at leastone of the respective paths comprises at least one mobile node.